Building a Dream
by Lord Nayrael
Summary: The day of Nura Rikuo's 18th Birthday had just passed, but the future did not start yet. To be exact, it has yet to be built. (RikuTsura and a Birthday gift for Dennou)


**Note: Happy Birthday to my dear friend Dennou! I hope you like this short fic that I made for you!**

***Hell Vanguard*: Happy Birthday Dennou-senpai aka Legend!**

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><p><strong>Warning:<strong> This fic takes it for granted that you have read, and finished, the Manga

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><p><strong>Building a Dream<strong>

It was night in the end of September and Rikuo, in his night form, was lying on the floor of his room, waving a paper fan in his hand so he would cool himself, even if only a little. _It is night for heaven's sake, why must it be so hot? _In the last eighteen years of his life, there were few nights that were so hot. Since he was alone in the privacy of his room, he also had opened his yukata so that he would not sweat as much on it.

"Rikuo-sama, I am coming in!" Said a feminine voice from outside and Tsurara walked into his room. "It is a bit late, but I have brought you-" For a moment there, this girl had a large, curvy smile and pale skin, but once her eyes fell on Rikuo's revealed chest and bare leg that he held in A shape, her cheeks turned red and her mouth opened wide in shock. "Hyaaaa!" Of course, her face was not the only part of her which reacted: her body shook as well, resulting in the plate with a rice bowl and a tea cup to jump into the air.

But Tsurara would not allow herself to cause a mess, so she grabbed a tea cup with her right hand, caught the bowl with her head and then she caught the plate with her knee. She sighed in relief, but that resulted in the bowl almost falling onto the ground but she managed to grab it with her left hand.

After she released another sigh of relief, Rikuo started clapping. "You've gotten quite acrobatic there, Tsurara!"

His clapping had reminded her of the scene in front of her and her cheeks turned red again. "Rikuo-sama, cover yourself!"

"Why? This is my room." He said with a killer smile, hoping that she would turn even redder. "I am sure you were half-expecting something like this when you entered."

As he had hoped, she blushed more. "I have not! Geez…" She kneeled and put the cup and the bowl on the floor, freeing her hands which she then used to move the plate.

"What are you making a fuss about anyway?" Rikuo returned to waving his fan as he gazed upon _his_ Yuki Onna. "You had seen my chest many times. Just how many times did you treat my wounds on it?" Of course, he knew why she became embarrassed about it, but it was more fun to ask.

"That was then, this is now." His Yuki Onna pouted while she put the bowl and the tea cup back onto the plate. "You are the Lord of Pandemonium who rules over thousands of youkai. So please Rikuo-sama, be more aware of your surroundings." She raised herself back onto her feet while lecturing him.

"Hooo~" Rikuo smirked at her behavior. "I see that you are taking lessons from Setsura." Sometimes when she got embarrassed, Tsurara started in the dignified manner like her mother. It was a bit annoying as it made it easier for her to deflect his teases. _But sometimes this dignified behavior makes her even more precious._

"No, it is just common sense." Tsurara walked up to him and kneeled in order to put his food beside him. "You servants enter your quarters all the time. You can't just-"

"I see~" Rikuo's smile widened even further. "So you are jealous, Tsurara. You don't want to have other women see me." Rikuo made an exaggerated nod while Tsurara's cheeks started turning red again and her eyes widened.

"N-no, that's not what I meant…" Her eyes moved left and right. "Well, um, I do mind it and I guess… but I mean, I just-"

"Cool down Tsurara, cool down!" Rikuo turned his fan into her direction. "Besides, it is not like anyone else comes into my room but you."

"Mmm…" The lips of Tsurara's closed mouth moved in all directions. "That's true…"

"So you see Tsurara, there is no reason for me to mind myself." Rikuo looked her in the eyes and asked: "Unless you dislike it, then I will-"

"N-n-n-n-no! I-I didn't say that I dislike it! Geez!" She shook her head left and right and then said: "I brought you lunch!" She tried to forcefully end the topic that she had started. "And some tea too! It isn't frozen!"

"Thank you, Tsurara, but I will eat it later." He pushed the plate that stood between them away. "It is quite a warm night, don't you think so? Would you mind helping me cool down?" He asked, offering the fan to her.

"Ah… sure! I am your servant so you don't even need to ask." She went to take the fan, completely falling into his trap.

He let the fan fall down just before her fingers touched it. Tsurara could only find time to raise an eyebrow before he grabbed her hand and pulled her down.

"Eh?" Using his other hand, he positioned her body so that she would be lying down just beside him, with her face just under his cheek and her left hand on his chest, although he did not let go of her delicate fingers. "Rikuo-sama, what are you…"

"I am letting my Yuki Onna cool me of course."

"T-t-this was w-w-what you meant? You should have-" She suddenly bit her lip. "I know I said that you don't need to ask, but… but…"

"If it makes you uncomfortable, then-"

"No, it is just…" Once again, she suddenly stopped, but after a few moments of silence, Rikuo felt her fingers relax. "It is alright… it is not uncomfortable…"

"I am glad to hear that." Rikuo closed his eyes and let his forehead fall onto hers while his fingers intervened with hers. Although she had become more likely to feel embarrassed by some things, she had also become more accepting of his advances, including the more intimate ones like this one.

The two of them did not say anything, but Rikuo did not mind it. Although the closeness of the Yuki Onna's body did technically cool him down, it also made his heart pound stronger and his hands and cheeks were warmer than before. At the end of the day, he too was a bit embarrassed by all this.

But it was all worth it. He enjoyed these simple sensations like feeling her cold breath on his cheek, rubbing his face onto hers, playing with her fingers and even trying to guess whose heart was thumping faster. He moved his other hand across her body, enjoying her curves. _Although it is hard to see through the kimono, you matured a lot in these last few years._ He did not say those words however, as he did not want to end this serene atmosphere even for teases. He was actually happy that she did not mind him doing this.

He made another round with his arm, resisting the urge to go towards her chest or too low, and moved up towards her hair to play with it. He enjoyed the silky hair, and how it felt like putting his fingers into cold water. In meantime, her left hand let go of his other hand and passed from his chest onto his face.

And then he felt something cold touch his cheek, but that same coldness moved away after only a moment. Rikuo moved his head to look at Tsurara and saw a smile before she moved her hand up and hid her mouth under it.

Rather than ask her anything, Rikuo put his hands around and raised her up, so that she lay on top of him. After enjoying looking at her golden eyes and beautiful face, he slowly started pulling her head downwards, with both of them closing their eyes before their lips touched.

As usual, kissing a Yuki Onna was a risky endeavor, as each time their tongues moved he had a feeling that something was freezing it. However, it was a unique sensation that he enjoyed, partially because it did feel good in its own way and because this sensation never forgot him that this was Tsurara whom he was kissing, and nobody else. Only after a full minute of kissing did their lips part so they could take a breath.

But instead of lowering herself for another kiss, Tsurara raised her body up so that she was no practically sitting atop of him. "Have a Happy Birthday, Rikuo-sama." She said while putting her right hand on her scarf.

"Oi, you are late," Rikuo smiled at her. "My Birthday was yesterday, remember?"

"Hai…" She pulled her scarf of, revealing the neck that he rarely got a chance to see. There was nothing special about it, but it was a luxury he did not see every day and that made it precious. "It was yesterday, but only now did we get to have some time alone."

"That's true. I spent the entire yesterday with the rest of the clan."

"Yeah…" Tsurara said but she looked around rather than into his eyes. It was clear that she wanted to say something, but either did not know how to word it or lacked courage to say it aloud. "You are an adult now, right? By human standards too I mean…" She put her hands onto her obi. "We have been… courting for a while, right?"

Rikuo felt blood rush to his face after he realized what she wanted to say… or to be more exact, what she wanted them to do. And, truth be told, he wanted it too.

But now was not the time, there was something else he had to do first. "Tsurara…" He looked at her. "Tomorrow, I am going to the Hanyou Village to visit dad's grave."

"Hai…" She looked at him, surprised that he suddenly started talking about it in this situation.

"I don't want to take more than one person, so will you come with me?" He asked to which she nodded, still looking at him with her large, golden eyes. "Good, then go to your room and get some sleep." He tapped her on the hip. "We are going early in the morning."

"…eh?"

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><p>~)(~<p>

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><p>"Are you tired, Tsurara?" Rikuo asked her while the two of them walked through a forest as the sun's rays fell on both of them. "Your eyes look like you did not get any sleep at all."<p>

_That I got to have a normal sleep is exactly my problem…_ "It is nothing Rikuo-sama, everything is perfectly fine."

"Is that so…" Rikuo turned his head back and the two of them continued to walk towards the hidden Hanyou Village. "It should be somewhere in this direction… I think."

_Why did he send me off? Was he embarrassed? No, he looked quite calm back then…_ Tsurara had to spend weeks mentally preparing herself to make such a bold move, and sometimes she even thought she would go crazy from embarrassment from just considering it. And even though there was always, technically, a possibility that he would reject her, she did not think that he, who became bolder with his advanced very passing month, would send her off unless embarrassed. Truth be told, she felt let down.

_Is there actually a problem with me? Or is he actually not seeing me in that way?_ She could not understand it: true, spending a night together was nothing formal like marriage, but it was still something that had to be done to advance a relationship, and that meant that there was a certain level of obligation. _Is that it? Is he unsure if he wants to make me his lover?_

"Tsurara, we are here!" Rikuo's words have pulled her out of her thoughts and she looked back at him. "We are at the Hanyou Village!" He said it with such a bright smile that he erased most of Tsurara's negativity from her mind. She could not help but smile and nod.

She was also curious about this place which saved his life five years ago, when it seemed like he would die due to losing half of his body. Several times did he talk about it, and it made her curious: how radiant must have the place been to pull such smiles from him.

And then they left the forest and found themselves in the village.

Technically speaking, it was not an impressive place. There was nothing special about the nature surrounding the village. The village itself looked like it was stuck in the past, with all the buildings being old-fashioned and humble. Its denizens themselves were dressed roughly, with no flare, and as peasants of times long past.

But it was a radiant place. Some villagers looked like average humans, some looked like humans with animalistic features, and others were as enormous as Aotabou or an Onii… but even with all these differences, the villagers worked together, talked with one another, laughed together. Even those who saw Rikuo and Tsurara arrive did not greet them as outsiders or view them with caution, but smiled and waved their hands at them. Even if some of them recognized Rikuo, it was surprising that they looked at Tsurara with no suspicion or caution either, something one would not have expected from an isolated community.

It was truly a place that radiated love. So radiant it was that Tsurara found herself making a smile just like Rikuo did a moment ago.

"You like it Tsurara?" Rikuo asked her, smiling at her reaction.

"Yes, I do!" Tsurara nodded. He said this was place was his ideal… his dream… but to her, looking at this place was like looking at Rikuo himself. "I am so glad that you brought me here."

"You see, Tsurara, I want to build more places like this." Rikuo turned back towards the village and spread his arms out. "It is my dream to make it possible for every corner of Japan… no, for every corner of the world… to be like this." He lowered his hands. "But I don't know how long it would take. Decades, centuries… no, it would take generations. My lifespan might not be long enough to make it possible for me to accomplish. No, that's wrong…" Rikuo shook his head and spoke words that held some melancholy in them. "Even if I were immortal, it would be impossible for me to do it."

"Rikuo-sama…"

"But that's because one person can't make something like this." Rikuo's voice became bright again and he looked at her. "This is something that has to be built by many hands, through many generations. Not only by me and not only by the Nura Clan, but by everyone. The only thing that I can do, and the thing I want to do, is to lead others to this dream, so they could dream it as well."

"Yes, maybe you are right…" Tsurara nodded to the man who currently acted like a child, but this part of him, pure love for others and wish to see his ideal come true, was what she loved.

"What do you say Tsurara?" He walked until he stood right in front of her. "Would you like to help me? Would you stand by my side forever?"

"Rikuo-sama…" Tsurara giggled at the triviality of his question. "I have already been doing just that: I have always been there with you."

"No, that's not what I mean…" Rikuo's eyes turned aside and he scratched his head. Then he looked at her again and smiled. "What I want to ask is…" He took her hand and asked while intensively looking at her eyes:

"Tsurara, would you stand by my side… as my wife?"

_Eh?_ Tsurara's eyes widened for a moment, her being naturally surprised at his question. This was something she did not expect, something that she never even dared to dream about. Just considering the possibility was too embarrassing for her.

'_You think I am worthy enough?'_ She thought of asking these words, but there was no need for it: in his eyes or in his smile, one could see that there was no doubt that he found her worthy. Even if she had doubts herself, she could not do anything except trust those eyes.

"Yes." She smiled as happiness flew through her entire body. "Yes!" She said again and grabbed both of his hands, wanting to cry from happiness. For her, there was no greater happiness than the man she loved telling her that he would want her to spend the rest of her life at his side.

"Thank you, Tsurara." He made another bright smile. Then he softly hugged her and lowered his head to kiss her. This was not a wild and passionate kiss, but a tender one.

He was a kid she adored since his birth.

He was the boy she desired, a boy from whom she was ready to die.

And he was a man whom she loved, a man who chose her as his wife and a man she chose as her husband.

And when they finally lay down together, that was what they shall become: a husband and wife… a father and a mother who would build a dream out of their future.

He finally let go of her lips and the two of them looked at one another for a few moments, not paying heed to the smiles of the villagers who themselves were happy to see a happy couple.

"Well then…" Rikuo took her hand and the two of them walked together. "…let's break the news to my Dad."

"Yes." Tsurara nodded and squeezed his hand in that she, metaphorically speaking, never intended to let go.

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><p><strong>Author Notes:<strong>

I hope all of you, both Dennou and our fellow RikuTsura fans, liked this shortie that I wrote.

Since I was not sure what exactly I would write and I had already spent a few ideas on my (now discontinued) fanfic, I went for a proposal plot. It starts a day after Rikuo becomes an adult by human standards, and with an intimate scene that shows us how far their relationship had progressed… even though at one point I felt like I was writing the start of a lemon fic XD

And it had progressed enough that both Tsurara and Rikuo wanted to take it further, with Tsurara believing that she should take it slowly whereas Rikuo, who was certain that she is whom he wanted to propose and make his.

And what is the better place to do it than the Hanyou Village, the embodiment of the Nura Clan's dreams and ambitions? This was where Rihan took Wakana when he married her so it also serves as kind of a parallel.

Well, that's it I guess… thank you all for reading this and I hope you review it!

And, once again: **Happy Birthday to you, my dear friend!**


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